


The Cat and the Wolf

by Anonymous_Ostrich



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Anal Sex, Developing Relationship, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff and Angst, M/M, khajiit dragonborn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-09
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-25 12:44:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4961134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous_Ostrich/pseuds/Anonymous_Ostrich
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes love is subjective. Other times it's physical. Sometimes it's a heated, tenacious hodgepodge of emotions and touches and pain and laughter. Taro already has enough to worry about what with this bothersome Dragonborn, Alduin, end-of-the-world business. He really didn't need to go falling in love with a wolf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn't his room. It was never his room. It was Kodlak's room, and although it had been a great many moons since Kodlak's journey to Sovngarde, it would remain his room. Taro was simply there, using his desk for important matters, taking a breather after his long journey back to Whiterun from Riften. He had been gone for over a fortnight, and the Companions were as glad as ever to receive their Harbinger back again.

A sudden knock came at the door. A chill flew up Taro's spine, immediately replaced with shame. Taro looked into the face of countless dangers on a daily basis - from dragons to giant spiders - and did not easily scare. He blamed exhaustion.

"Come in," he said, standing up and closing the book he had been scouring. The door creaked open, Farkas's burly figure framing the doorway. One of Taro's ear twitched and his chest swelled with inappropriate amounts of affection. He was always glad to see Farkas, but after such a long absence he felt nearly starved for the Nord's company. It was an uncomfortable feeling that he was thoroughly unaccustomed to.

"Welcome back," Farkas said, stepping into the room. He glanced around in fleeting curiosity, perhaps realizing that he hadn't been in the room since Kodlak had passed. "Doesn't look any different in here," he said in surprise. "You haven't touched _any_ of the old man's stuff."

"It isn't mine to touch. At least, I don't feel it is. I can't bring myself to move a single thing." Taro ran his fingers through his fur with a sigh, cracking his neck. "Besides, I have a home here in Whiterun. But this makes for a great room while I'm staying in among the Companions."

Farkas nodded, but fell strangely silent. After a moment had passed, he cleared his throat. "How is Matyrste? I'm surprised she isn't with you."

"She's here. She's with Lydia now. They're buying things at the market. I had more important things to work on, so I came here instead." Taro glanced subtly at the book he had been reading.

Farkas followed his gaze. "Still figuring on a way to take down Alduin?"

"Yes. I'm afraid I'm not finding out much. Since we have no idea where he may appear next, it seems finding a way to kill him is the least of our troubles." Taro sighed again, and then sat down in a chair near the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. "Farkas..."

"Yeah?"

"You don't regret your decision... of becoming a Blade, do you?" Taro asked, his eyes fixed on the floor.

He knew too well the bloodied past of the Blades, and their grim place under the Dragonborn: to fight for him, to die for him without question. The idea of that sort of devotion was enough to make Taro sick to his stomach. He had lived his life as a blade for hire, a mercenary, living in a world where no one would think of helping him for any reason. He was alone, and in all honesty, he had never minded that.

It wasn't until stumbling into Skyrim bound and headed for the axe that his life had changed and he had found people who genuinely cared for him; some because he was the Dragonborn, but some, like Matyrste, who cared about him for reasons beyond the dragon blood coursing through his veins.

For some time he had wondered where Farkas stood on that shaky slope. Did he care in the way that Taro regrettably cared about him? Or was he just following him dutifully, because he was the Harbinger of the Companions, and the chosen being to defend the world? The question was a frightening one, and Taro knew that the answer might very well have the power to crush his very soul. He had flirted with the possibility of loving someone. Although every fiber of his Stalk-In-The-Shadows, Don't-Trust-Anyone upbringing told him that falling in love with Farkas was a poor idea, it had happened regardless.

The Cat who loved the Wolf. It was a doomed romance and he knew it.

Farkas seemed surprised by the question, but considered it for a moment. "I'm not so good with words," Farkas finally answered, in an apologetic tone, "but I can tell you that I don't regret much. Certainly not becoming a Companion, OR a Blade. I would follow you into battle, no matter what we were facing."

Taro smiled softly, his heart fluttering uncomfortably in his chest. Inwardly, he could feel his spirit cracking. It was a job to Farkas, an obligation. He was just a warrior following the words of his general.

"I find your dedication to the job commendable, Farkas. I am honored to call you both my Shield-Brother, and my blood-Broth-"

"It isn't just a job." Farkas cut in suddenly, his voice vaguely indignant. Taro found himself staring at Farkas with wide eyes, too confused to speak. Farkas was normally a silent, easy-going fellow, and did not usually have such passion behind his words.

"Have I not proved myself to you in battle?" Farkas demanded. Taro felt he had somehow upset him.

"No, I didn't mean-"

"And have I not given you good company?" Farkas was stepping closer. Taro's vision swam and blurred.

"Of course you hav-"

"I do what I'm told. I've mentioned that before. But I became a Blade because I wanted to defend you. _You_. Not the world. My mission - my _own_ mission - is to protect you." Farkas stood firmly before Taro, his hands balled into fists. Taro stared up at him in shock, unfit to form words.

Taro's acute sense of smell picked up on Farkas's musty scent- smoke, iron, wet dog and blood. On anyone else, Taro's nose may have curled, but right now it was a strong, enticing scent that made his vision spin and his stomach coil with longing.

Farkas knelt down before Taro, rendering the Khajiit powerless to do anything but stare. Had Farkas wanted to assassinate the Dragonborn at the present time, it would have been embarrassingly easy.

Taro's throat was dry, making speaking tedious. "Farkas… I…" It seemed silly to confess anything while Farkas was so near him; if his half-erection wasn't obvious enough, he was sure he was pumping sex hormones into the air like a broke Riften whore. "I might… want to kiss you right now."

"S'okay. I might want the same thing." Farkas spoke in a low voice that sent involuntary shivers up Taro's spine. Farkas's hands were on either side of him, preventing him from moving from his position in his chair. Taro couldn't stop himself. With a low growl, Taro pressed his mouth against Farkas's, kissing him forcefully.

He was more than pleased that Farkas accepted his kiss; in fact, Farkas matched his passion and urgency, grunting low into Taro's mouth. Taro's head felt light. His hands flew to the back of Farkas's head, kissing him deeply, his rough tongue sliding into the other man's mouth just past his teeth, hoping Farkas didn't mind this difference in their anatomy. He didn't seem to mind, and adamantly rolled his own tongue against the Khajiit's in reply.

Farkas's hands drifted to Taro's armor, silently begging to feel the fur underneath. Taro struggled to stand, not wanting to break their kiss, demanding the same desire from Farkas as he began to shed the Nord's armor. It took them several feverish moments to remove each others' many layers of armor and clothing, but once they were down to their loincloths, Farkas shoved Taro onto the bed behind them.

Taro readily allowed it, surprised at the earnest behind Farkas's actions. Had Farkas been just as frustrated as he had been, all this time? Could that really be possible? Such thoughts did not stick in Taro's mind for long. Farkas blew out two of the candles near the bed and then promptly pounced on Taro, kissing him roughly. Taro couldn't prevent a low, rumbling purr to emit from inside his chest, hoping it wouldn't alarm Farkas or put him off. It appeared to have the opposite effect, however, and he found that Farkas produced his own set of animalistic sounds, akin to a wolf defending it's meal with a warning snarl.

Taro's hands traveled over every inch of Farkas that he could access, grateful that he could finally touch the skin he had desired for so long. Farkas was doing quite the same, rough fingers running over soft fur and toned muscle. Questing fingers finally made their way to Taro's loincloth, slipping eagerly underneath the material. Taro's breathing hitched. Farkas ran his hand over Taro's excitement, eliciting an immediate reaction from the Khajiit; Taro's back arched and he moaned low in his throat as Farkas closed his hand around the Khajiit's length, stroking it clumsily. Farkas ripped Taro's loincloth from him and tossed it aside, moving into position and taking the length in his mouth.

All sensible, tangible thoughts fled Taro's mind. Taro gripped the bed sheets and growled, panting hard as Farkas sucked and licked his dick, his brow knitted in pleasure. He had been with many before, but it had _never_ been like this. There had never been any feelings between he and the women and men he laid with, but this... this felt so different. He had never felt anything quite like it.

Farkas was clumsy, his mouth working over Taro's length uncertainly as though he were trying to solve a puzzle; it seemed that he was inexperienced with men, but that only made it feel all the more amazing.

"Aah... _haaahhh_... Farkas, I'm about to..." He reached for the man to push him away, but Farkas swatted his hand and sucked more vigorously. Taro squeezed his eyes shut and let out a yell, his back bending as he spasmed everything he had into Farkas's mouth.

To his surprise, Farkas swallowed it all, wiping his mouth with a forearm after releasing Taro's penis and pulling himself up over the Dragonborn, watching his face after his orgasm. If Khajiit could blush, Taro would have been red.

"Wh-what is it?" Taro asked, breathing hard. Farkas smiled a little.

"I just wanted to see how you looked after that. Damn gorgeous." he answered, and Taro looked away from him for a moment, issuing a dry laugh.

"You say you're not good with words, but you definitely seem to be good with your mouth," he said. Farkas smirked.

"It's... my first time with a man. And my first with a Khajiit, guess I should mention," he admitted.

"Any concerns?" Taro asked headily.

Farkas shook his head. "Oh, not a one. I want you, only you. Don't care if you're the Dragonborn or a Khajiit or a werewolf. I want this, if you do."

Taro stared at Farkas with a nameless intensity before grabbing him and kissing him hard. Utilising his speed and reflexes, Taro managed to flip Farkas onto his back without breaking their kiss, straddling him. Tail flicking mischievously, Taro pulled away from Farkas's panting mouth, licking the side of his face, his lips close to the man's ear.

"Then I'll have to make you mine," Taro said quietly, sensually, licking and nipping at the man's broad chest.

Farkas moaned, twitching and writhing as he felt sharp teeth graze his skin. Testing the waters, Taro placed a soft bite on Farkas's left pectoral. To his delight, Farkas groaned in pleasure, grabbing fistfuls of Taro's mane and pressing his face to his chest. Taro purred in response, biting the man harder a second time. He tasted blood, which only fueled his passion. Farkas tossed his head to the side, growling in ecstasy. Taro sometimes forgot that although outwardly Farkas was a Nord, inside of him pulsated the blood of the beast, and it had long affected him body and soul.

Taro wanted to give Farkas the same gifts that he had been given. In a fluid motion, he moved down Farkas's burly body, nuzzling the man's cock gently with his nose and mouth, teasing the man before licking up his length and swallowing it eagerly. Farkas's pleasure was evident, grabbing blindly for the bed sheets as Taro worked on the man's length gently and carefully. His teeth were a great deal sharper than that of a Nord, and he wanted to make sure he was careful with Farkas's most sensitive part.

The Nord's animal grunting was getting Taro hard again, and as Farkas's pleasure came to a peak, Taro made more use of his tongue, bringing Farkas to orgasm. Taro had been with men but he had never received their seed before - it simply never appealed to him - but this attitude was all but abandoned the moment he felt Farkas's cock twitch and convulse in his throat, thick jets of liquid spreading out over his tongue. He swallowed it all, savoring the flavor.

Licking his lips, he licked a trail up Farkas's stomach and torso, kissing him on the mouth again, a more gentle kiss than before.

"I want to take you," Taro said in a growl, and Farkas opened his eyes to look at the Dragonborn. There was a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes, but it was extinguished by raw passion, and Taro could see it.

"Get to it, then," Farkas breathed, his gruff voice softer than Taro had ever heard.

Reaching for the bedside table, Taro stuck two fingers in a small bowl of oil he had set aside for potion making. The oil settled nicely into his fur, and he kissed Farkas again as his fingers moved southward to Farkas's entrance. As the first finger invaded, Farkas instinctively hissed and gripped Taro hard. Taro kissed the man's neck, licking and nipping, as his finger gently explored the Nord's inner depths.

"Relax yourself," Taro breathed to the man, and after slowing his breathing, Farkas managed to relax enough for the second finger to penetrate. The oil made the second invasion a smoother one, and as Taro worked his fingers in and out of Farkas's entrance, the man started to moan in both pleasure and discomfort.

When Taro was sufficiently convinced that Farkas was prepped, he removed his fingers and grabbed Farkas's legs, positioning himself at the Nord's entrance. Farkas shifted and hooked his legs just behind the curve in Taro's hips to anchor himself. With a growl, Taro pushed the head of his cock into the wolf, fighting against a strong ring of muscle that worked to repel him.

Farkas let out a yell, squeezing his eyes shut and grabbing handfuls of Taro's fur as Taro snarled and pushed further, feeling the oil do its work as he slid in half-way. He stopped, allowing Farkas time to breathe and let out a shaky sigh of his own, licking Farkas's open mouth and kissing him again. Farkas tugged at his fur, silently granting him permission to continue, and Taro didn't waste a moment.

He carefully and methodically pushed himself deeper, groaning at the tightness of Farkas's anal virginity; the feeling was incredible, but not without a hint of pain as Farkas's inner muscles clamped down on him like a vice. Farkas growled, tossing his head back. To Taro's surprise, Farkas wrapped his legs around the Khajiit and locked himself firmly in place.

"G-get on with it… You d-don't have to be gentle. _Ahh_ … I want _all_ of you."

Taro's head fell blank and his mouth went dry. He began thrusting in earnest, no longer thinking about any possible discomfort; Farkas hissed through his teeth, tossing his head back and letting out a string of grunts and groans. The two found a savage rhythm rather quickly, growling and moaning, more animal than members of a semi-civilized society, the frail wooden bed frame banging unceremoniously against the wall. Taro barely felt it as Farkas bit into his shoulder, anchoring himself as he was pounded into.

Neither of them cared at this point who heard them. If they had been thinking clearly, they may have been worried that their mating sounded eerily similar to a wild animal attack, but none of that mattered now. Taro hoisted Farkas's lower body up and thrust himself in to the hilt; Farkas emitted a sound between a yelp and a choke, circling his strong arms around Taro's neck. Taro found himself reaching his limit.

" _Nnggh_.. ahh... _fuck…_ I'm going... to..."

"Me too… S'okay... a- _aan-gk_! In...inside..."

Another few rapid thrusts and Taro buried himself inside of Farkas with glorious purpose; both men yelled out in release, thick spurts of come painting Taro's stomach fur and the inside of Farkas's anal walls. Panting and happily spent, Taro felt his mind go blank. His body gave into exhaustion and he collapsed onto Farkas, kissing him deeply, not yet ready to relinquish the incredible feeling of holding Farkas in his arms nor the sensation of being so firmly connected to him.

.

.

.

"We… ...Shit, we broke the wall."

"Yeah. Yeah we did."

"And just after I mentioned that I didn't want to move a thing in here. I feel like we've done Kodlak a disservice," Taro said with a tired chuckle.

"Walls we can fix. Make it just as good as new. And I think Kodlak woulda been happy for us. My body, though, hurts like Oblivion." Farkas said, his hand rubbing Taro's arm lazily.

Taro laughed through his nose. "I can't say I'm sorry," he said.

"Neither can I."

"I _can_ say that next time we'll take more time to prepare. Use more oil. Be gentler, maybe."

Farkas laughed through his nose. "Gentle doesn't really suit me."

Taro smirked, falling silent. The last candle had fizzled out hours ago, but his feline eyes could make out Farkas's naked body perfectly through the darkness.

"I think I'm in love with you." Taro said, almost as if he'd heard someone else say it. There was no more room for doubt or secrecy. With the way things were going, life could end at any moment. For all he knew, the world itself was coming to an end. He wanted Farkas. He had never been reserved about being selfish before, and he didn't intend to start now.

Farkas grinned and pulled Taro closer, kissing him gently. "I'm not good with words... But, you know. Same here." Farkas said, and Taro involuntarily purred, knowing exactly what that meant.

The two men fell asleep wrapped up in each other.

Despite the beast blood pulsing through their veins, they slept peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be more-or-less a collection of fics I wrote back in 2012-2013 about the relationship between my Khajiit character and Farkas. Matyrste is a young orphan girl Taro met shortly before being arrested and almost beheaded in Helgen, and he met up with her again after Helgen was attacked. The Hearthfire DLC still wouldn't have come out for a while, so Matyrste was my answer to the lack of adorable orphans in the game at the time. (Though I was really hoping orphans could travel with you T_T MODS AHOYYY)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taro and Farkas can't keep their paws off each other.

"Farkas is here! Taro, Farkas is here, come _onnn_ ~!" squealed Matyrste, sprinting up the stairs two at a time.

Taro had been sitting at the small table in his room with Lydia when he heard the little girl call out and felt his heart skip a little beat.

Ever since he and Farkas had confirmed their feelings for each other, they had begun a slow and steady sort of relationship, although neither one of them truly knew what to call it. Farkas had never been with a man before, and Taro had never had anything more than a one-night fling. Although it was all incredibly confusing and overwhelming for both parties involved, it was also amazing in ways Taro couldn't possibly articulate.

Matyrste was peeking her head into Taro's room, her face lit up with excitement. "Didn't you hear me?" she demanded. Taro scratched the back of his head.

"Hard not to," he pointed out. "Why don't you let him in instead of alerting the whole street?"

"Okay!" Matyrste chimed, and ran back down the stairs in a flurry. Lydia cracked a smile and shook her head.

"She's taken a liking to him, for some reason," she observed, and Taro scoffed.

"He's great with kids. Of course she loves him."

"She might not be the only one," Lydia replied casually. Taro glared in her direction, setting down his book.

"Don't get cheeky, now," he said, but without conviction. Lydia chuckled with the air of someone who knew something they weren't supposed to.

"Forgive me, my Thane. I was only suggesting that maybe you wouldn't mind some alone time with Farkas. I could take Matyrste out for a bit, if you were so inclined." she said. Taro immediately softened.

"That... would actually be _great_ , Lydia." he said gratefully, and she smiled to him knowingly before excusing herself from the room.

Taro heard the downstairs door open and got up himself, stretching and heading down to meet his... Mate? Lover? How exactly were they supposed to be referring to each other? Regardless, he went to meet Farkas who greeted him with a grin, Matyrste suspended from one of his arms like a giant leech. Effortlessly pulling her up and down with a flex of his beefy arm, Farkas nodded to Taro with a smile.

"Harbinger," he said, voice strained as he lifted his arm and sent Matyrste upwards with a squeal of delight.

"Good day, Farkas. How have you been?" _It's been five bloody days since I've been able to fuck you._ Taro meant to say, and Lydia must have known the two of them were forcing pleasantries because Taro could nearly _feel_ her eyes rolling. He ignored her, and as Farkas surmised how 'good' everything's been, Matyrste - now grounded - tugged at his arm suddenly.

"Will you stay for dinner tonight?" she asked him, offering up her big, pale eyes in the most endearing way she could manage. Farkas's eyes rose to meet Taro's, brows perked.

"Wouldn't want to intrude, er-"

"Don't be ridiculous," Taro started, silently thanking Matyrste for her bluntness. "you know that you're welcome here anytime, day _or_ night."

This time, he definitely saw an eye-roll from Lydia's direction, and Farkas must have caught the meaning of that one as his cheeks dusted rose. Despite her low-tolerance for Taro's horrible attempts to be subtle, Lydia still seemed intent to give the men their alone time.

"Since this was _your_ idea, Matyrste, you're coming with me to the market to buy food for tonight. If we have an extra mouth to feed, we had better hurry before all the good produce is gone." If it wouldn't have been strange for Taro to hug Lydia fiercely in that moment, he would have done so.

"Aww, but, I wanted to talk to Farkas more..." Matyrste said sulkily. In a flash her demeanor changed and she gasped in alarm, dashing into the other room and emerging with a basket gripped tightly in her small hands. "I forgot, I have a new shopping basket! Let's go!" she exclaimed, grabbing Lydia's arm and leading her out. Just before the door closed, Taro could have sworn he saw Lydia wink at him. _Cheeky_.

With the women now gone, Taro and Farkas stood silently in the entrance room, both of them reeking of sexual frustration. In a fluid motion Taro grabbed Farkas's upper arm and brought him in close, kissing the man hard on the mouth, to which Farkas responded in turn. They kissed for several fevered moments, hearts thumping in time and heads feeling fuzzy before breaking apart.

Taro licked the wolf affectionately along his jawline. "I've missed you," Farkas murmured headily. Taro loved to hear him speaking like that, in a lover's voice. It was so difficult to resist acting like young cubs in love when their relationship was still so brand new and dazzling, but among the Companions and the rest of the world, they had to be careful. But finally the two of them were here, alone, and Taro prayed to no one in particular that Lydia could grant him at least forty-five minutes.

"You as well," Taro breathed, his voice mixed with deep, barely audible purring. Farkas placed his strong hands on Taro's arms and slid down, enjoying the feeling of the Khajiit's fur under soft cloth. It was rare that both men were wearing proper clothes; being affectionate with layers of armor on was a tricky business indeed. Taro's piercing eyes flicked up to meet Farkas's. He wanted to talk with him, but there would be much time for that, especially if he was staying for dinner.

"I need you," he said in a heady tone, and Farkas assaulted his mouth in agreement. The two staggered to the stairs awkwardly, making their way up half-kissing, half-removing articles of clothing, and by the time Taro shut the door to his bedroom they had no clothes left to remove.

The lock turned to ensure complete privacy. As soon as the lock clicked Taro was on his knees, taking Farkas's erect length into his eager mouth and sucking passionately as Farkas grunted and held onto the back of Taro's head. Using his rough tongue expertly on the man's organ, Taro's hands slid around to Farkas's muscular ass and squeezed, moving to slide one of his fingers into Farkas's entrance and begin preparing him for sex. To his surprise, his finger was sucked right in; his finger squelched inside, slick and wet with oil.

_Farkas prepared himself before he came over._

Taro almost came just at the thought. He sucked Farkas with a whole new vigor, and the Nord tossed his head back and cried out, grabbing handfuls of Taro's fur as he came powerfully into the Dragonborn's mouth. Taro groaned as thick ropes of the hot liquid coated his throat.

Pulling away and licking his lips, Taro stood up, grabbing Farkas's face in his hands. " _Get on the bed_ ," he growled menacingly, and Farkas immediately obeyed, slightly shaky-kneed but altogether ready for more.

As Farkas got on his hands and knees on the bed, Taro positioned himself behind and pressed the head of his cock to Farkas's prepped entrance. Farkas hissed as Taro pushed himself in, and both of them grunted in pleasure once Taro began to move. The two of them found their savage rhythm and they mated heatedly, growling and biting and finishing with Taro shoving Farkas down by his shoulders, biting him hard, and emptying himself into his lover with a roar. The two of them laid there, covered in sweat and panting, happy and sore.

.

.

.

"I hadn't meant to be gone for so long," Taro said, his tail flicking in its usual way after he and his mate copulated. "I guess you could say I got side-tracked. Someone else put a hit out for me. I knew I shouldn't have taken the main road back, but it was the fastest way."

Farkas was sitting on the side of the bed, pulling on his trousers, which were the only bit of his clothing that made it to the bedroom. "Damn it, Taro. This is why you should have let me come. You coulda been killed."

"Not likely. You shouldn't worry so much." Taro replied, stretching out on the bed and yawning.

Farkas frowned and turned to look at Taro. "I can't help it," he growled defensively. "If you haven't noticed, we kinda got ourselves mixed up in a romantic situation. Now that it's all out in the open, I'm not holding anything back. I care about you, damn it, and when you have assassins out for your hide, I want to be there to cleave 'em in two," he said. Taro's expression softened.

"I didn't mean it like that," Taro said apologetically. He still wasn't used to people caring about him, especially in a romantic way. "I just don't want to become another worry on your mind. I want to look out for you just as much as you're looking out for me. My worry is that you'll be searching for an assassin when you should be looking out for yourself. If I lost you because of this - because I'm the damn _Dragonborn_ \- I'll never forgive myself."

Farkas looked away for a moment to stare at the wall. He turned back to Taro with a confident grin. "I can handle myself, don't you fret. You're the one that can barely read a map. I mostly worry about you gettin' lost."

Taro laughed and grabbed Farkas's arm, pulling him back onto the bed and kissing him. They lingered for a moment before pulling away, feeling content.

"Have you told your brother yet?" Taro asked curiously. He honestly didn't care if their relationship never went beyond the two of them, but he knew that would be a rather difficult secret to keep.

Farkas shook his head. "I'm not so good with words. I don't really know how to tell him."

"He'll probably want to kill me." Taro grinned. Farkas nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. He probably will. He won't, though. At least, I'm pretty sure he won't. Mostly sure."

Taro sighed contentedly. "The words will come eventually. Lydia knows, although I've never said anything. She's sharp. I think she approves. It was her idea to take Matyrste off our hands for awhile." he said.

Farkas smiled fondly. "Matyrste... She's such a little ball of fire. Never a chore to be around that little one."

"I disagree, it's often exhausting," Taro said truthfully, but with love.

There was a short silence. "I'm going to take her to Winterhold soon." Taro said regrettably. "It will be a dangerous journey, but she so badly wants to know where she comes from. I can't help but feel like her powers have something to do with everything that's happening."

"Do you reckon she's from Winterhold?" Farkas asked. Taro shook his head.

"I don't know. But I can take her to the college. She's obviously magically gifted... She does things and she doesn't even realize how she managed to do them. There aren't many places left in Skyrim that welcome magic, so I figured it would be a good starting place." Taro rolled over onto his back, covering his eyes with his arm. "There's a selfish part of me that doesn't want her to know her past. I'm so happy with her here... And now I have you, as well, and I just... I finally feel like I have something for my own, a place to call home. It's ridiculous, I know."

Farkas shook his head. "Matyrste loves you. That wouldn't change for anything, even if she managed to find her family. You've done so much for her."

"And she's done so much for Taro," Taro said, slipping into his native illeism. Farkas was used to that, as it happened every now and again especially when Taro was tired or distracted.

Taro moved his arm and looked at Farkas. "We'll be gone for a long time. The journey there will be at least a fortnight all on its own. And there's no telling how long we'll stay, if we manage to find something that will help us." Farkas locked eyes with Taro, trying to discern his meaning.

"Don't make me stay behind this time, Taro," Farkas begged him quietly, and Taro issued a smile.

"You'll come?"

"Of course I will. You are my Harbinger, my Dragonborn, and my mate. There's no force from Oblivion that could stop me. I can't bear your absence for such a time. I won't." Farkas said decidedly.

Taro pulled Farkas close and kissed him fiercely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention before that Taro doesn't generally use the same speech patterns that Khajiit usually do. He didn't spend much of his life around other Khajiit. When he was just a cub he was taken away from his family (i.e. they were killed by slavers) and after escaping his captors, he found himself living in Cyrodiil until adulthood. He lost much of his accent during that time, mostly out of pressure to conform to the children around him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's just a flesh-wound.

"Fall back!" shouted one of the bandits, scrambling away gripping his bleeding stomach.

Taro leapt at one of the retreating men, not caring for sportsmanship or if they had relented. His battle axe swung down and took one of the bandit's arms, sending him crashing to the ground screaming in agony. Taro silenced his screams by aiming the next strike at his neck. Any remaining cut-throats were now gone, fleeing into the darkness of night, having lost enough men this night to the wrath of the Dovahkiin and his mate.

When Taro was convinced they were alone, he turned to Farkas, who lowered his war hammer to the ground with a dull clunk. "Damn, they came out of nowhere..." he panted, sliding his battle axe into place along his back. Farkas turned to him, swaying. Taro's blood froze in his veins.

Farkas had a long, slender dagger lodged into a gap in his ebony armor. Though it was hard to see in the oppressive darkness, blood was spilling from the wound, covering the ground and streaming down his armor. Taro threw off his helmet and sprinted toward him just as Farkas dropped his weapon and fell to his knees, grunting in pain. Taro grabbed him and held him by the back of the neck, gingerly lowering him to the ground.

"Farkas... _Hircine_ , no... You're going to be alright, listen to me, Farkas listen- I have something, here, drink this-" With one hand cradling Farkas's head, Taro reached into his leather pack and fumbled around with his concoctions before locating one of his restore health potions. He pried the cork off with his teeth and touched the bottle to Farkas's lips.

"Here, drink it," Taro prompted him, and Farkas complied, allowing the bitter liquid to flood his mouth and throat. Taro helped him swallow it, glancing at the dagger still stuck between Farkas's ribs. As long as that blade remained, his health would continue to suffer, potion or not. He'd need to remove it and heal the wound. He was no mage, but his restoration magic would be more than adequate enough to counterbalance the potion.

Taro re-positioned himself and started taking Farkas's armor off. Farkas weakly tried to protest, but Taro wasn't having any of it. Once he had carefully removed Farkas's breastplate, he examined the dagger. Spilling all of his bottles onto the grass next to him, Taro grabbed the handle of the knife buried between Farkas's ribs and pulled it free with a quick and sickening yank.

Farkas sputtered and coughed, grinning at Taro between labored breaths. "Yer usually puttin' something in, not takin' something out," he joked.

Despite the situation, Taro cracked a wry smile. "Shush," he warned.

Warmth bloomed in Taro's palms and golden light spilled over Farkas's wound as the Khajiit healed him, brows knitted in concentration. After several moments, Farkas hissed through his teeth, grunting in discomfort. Taro lowered his hands, eyes wide. The nature of the wound hadn't changed. His magic was practically exhausted, he'd had him swallow a potion and yet Farkas hadn't showed any signs of recovering.

"What… how can…"

"It's okay," Farkas said softly, the tone of his voice causing raw panic to crawl into Taro's throat. "Hey, I have no regrets here. It's okay."

"No!" Taro choked out angrily. "You're not giving up that easily, damn it! You can't... _you can't_..." None of it made sense. Farkas was a Nord, he was a werewolf, he was stronger than a meager dagger. Something wasn't right.

"It's okay," Farkas repeated, raising his hand to touch his fingers to Taro's cheek, stroking his fur. "I'm fadin' fast here, so listen up. All the time we've spent together-"

"I said _NO_!" Taro yelled desperately, grabbing Farkas's hand and squeezing it fiercely. "I can't do this without you! You can't do that, you can't leave me after all of this! Drink this," he said, pushing another potion against Farkas's mouth.

Farkas weakly pushed it away. "S'not working. Keep it, you're gonna need it,"

Taro shook his head. "Damn you! Farkas, drink this fucking potion! _Please_!"

What could he do? At this rate, there was no way Taro could bring Farkas to a healer in time to save him. Potions and magic were barely working. _Why_ weren't they working? Farkas was tougher than this. The beast blood coursing through him could tolerate more injury than a mortal man. _Something wasn't right_.

Taro glanced at the bloodied knife in the grass. It's blade glinted sickening silver under the twin moons. Running along the tip of the blade was a purple substance, some of it mingling with Farkas's blood.

A poisoned dagger made of pure silver.

Taro thanked the divines above for his absent traveling companions - who were likely back in Winterhold at this moment - for giving Taro a reason to carry a vial of cure poison. Neither he nor Farkas ever needed to worry about poison or disease, but Lydia and his young charge were still susceptible. Without wasting a moment Taro grabbed up the vial, placing the cork between his teeth and spitting it out into the grass.

"Farkas, listen to me. You need to drink this right now. That dagger was silver, and I think you've been poisoned."

Farkas didn't answer, his breath turning to long, shaking breaths and his gaze becoming far away. In a panic Taro poured the potion into his own mouth, lowering his head to press their lips together. He lifted Farkas's head gently and slowly fed him the substance until he was sure it had all been consumed; he pulled away, his eyes searching Farkas's face for signs of improvement. With the last of his magic, Taro glided his hand over the wound and focused on healing as much as he could. In moments, Farkas coughed, inhaling a deep breath. His eyes opened and found Taro's face.

"Farkas? Are you with me?" Taro asked with bated breath. Farkas shut his eyes, letting out a shallow breath.

"Yep. Think so."

Taro breathed a relieved sigh just as his magic reserves ran out. He checked the wound again; it was healing beautifully. His heartbeat slowed to a tentative putter. The fear that his mate was going to be taken away from him was still pumping in his veins, making him feel light-headed. He kissed Farkas's sweaty forehead, embracing him gently.

"Farkas… Don't _ever_ do that to me again…" he purred.

"Promise," Farkas replied.

Taro pulled away. "Can you stand? Do you need a moment?"

Farkas grunted and struggled to sit; Taro helped him. "I need some ale and a little rest, maybe. Let's just head back to Winterhold."

Replacing his items back into his pack, Taro assisted Farkas in both standing and replacing his breastplate. "Lean on me," Taro ordered, slinging Farkas's arm carefully over his shoulders.

From the corner of Taro's eye, he spotted movement. His head turned in alarm, his sharp eyesight catching the silhouette of a previously fallen bandit steadily and painstakingly raising a longbow. He aimed it directly at Farkas.

For a dying man, his aim was frighteningly swift and precise. Taro flung Farkas out of the way and felt the arrow plunge into his back, bypassing armor entirely. Taro's vision swam. More silver. He tried to reach behind him and pull the offending arrow free, but he couldn't get a grip on it. His fingers had gone numb. His limbs turned to wet hay, dropping him to his knees. Someone caught him and a sharp, ripping pain spread through his back and sent tremors down his spine.

He could hear Farkas calling his name as though they were at opposite ends of a long, narrow tunnel. Suddenly the stars were above him and Farkas was hovering over him, saying something urgent, eyes wide in fear. He looked much better. Farkas was going to live. That was Taro's last comforting thought before he fell into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would silver even have an effect on werewolves if they weren't transformed? Who knows. I certainly don't. Drama, dammit. Don't sass me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farkas gives Taro an ultimatum.

"I think he's waking up!" A fuzzy voice traveled from the void, and Taro hazily realized it was Matyrste, though she sounded very far away.

"Good. I can finally break his face in." That was definitely Farkas, and his voice sounded a bit closer.

"I don't blame you, but you probably shouldn't. At least wait until he's fully conscious," came Lydia's voice. Gradually Taro felt himself reach what felt like the surface of water, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Matyrste came instantly into view, beaming at Taro in relief. Her eyes and nose were bright red. She had been crying. Taro's limbs felt like lead and his head was splitting, but above all else he was just happy and surprised to be alive.

"Taro! How do you feel?" Matyrste asked seriously, and Taro offered her a smile.

"Well… I'm alive," he answered honestly.

He turned his head to see Farkas sitting next to him on the bed, shirtless, bandages wrapped over his shoulder and around his middle to secure cloth and medicine over his knife wound.

"Farkas..." he started in relief. Farkas frowned at him.

"I don't wanna hear it," Farkas said gruffly. "What you did... You coulda died!"

"You could have too!" Matyrste pointed out, voicing exactly what Taro had been too slow to say.

Farkas shook his head. "I'm not the Dragonborn, the _chosen being_ who can stop Alduin and save all of Tamriel," he countered, and Matyrste fell silent.

Taro felt slightly chastised. Farkas was right. He didn't like it, but he was. "I still couldn't let you die," Taro said hoarsely, and Farkas opened his mouth to say something else, closed it, and sighed. "How am I alive, anyway? Where are we?" Taro wondered aloud. Lydia stepped forward, her arms crossed.

"We came to meet you and found Farkas carrying you back. He explained what happened. I had a cure poison on me… I suppose that was enough to keep you alive until we were able to get back to town. The healers did their magic. You've been asleep for three days now, my Thane."

"We're at an inn in town. After you were healed, we thought it would be quieter away from the college," Matyrste continued worriedly.

Taro attempted to sit up and Farkas ended up helping him. Matyrste looked on the brink of tears again, so Taro pulled her in for a hug, nuzzling the top of her head and kissing it. She hugged him back, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Taro glanced up at Lydia.

"Could you two give Farkas and I a moment alone?" he asked her softly. Lydia nodded understandingly and placed her hands on Matyrste's shoulders, pulling the girl along with her. The two of them left the room and closed the door behind them.

"Say what you want to say," Taro said, knowing that Farkas had things on his mind. Farkas got up and walked to the opposite end of the small room, sighing and rubbing his hand over his mouth. He was thoughtfully silent for a moment - which was rather unlike him - but finally he spoke.

"We should stop this." Farkas finally said. Taro frowned.

"Stop what?"

"This, you and me. All of it." he replied, still facing the wall. Taro's ears flattered. He issued a weak snarl.

"You're angry with me? For saving you? And now you're... You're _breaking things off_?"

"I'm not angry!" Farkas exclaimed, but the emotion in his voice suggested otherwise. Taro fell silent. Farkas lowered his head and covered his eyes with his hand. "I'm not angry... I'm just..." There was another silence, but Taro listened intently. "I made a mistake," Farkas said, his voice far softer than usual. "You nearly died, and it was 'cause of me. Cause I wasn't good enough."

"Farkas-"

"No, Taro. Listen. It can't be like this." Farkas turned to face the Dragonborn, stone-faced, but his eyes were shining with regret. "There are bigger things going on than you and me. I'm honored that you would lay down your life for mine, but what good is saving my life if it almost meant the end of the world?" he said, and Taro flashed him a savage look.

"Don't you think I _know_ that?" Taro snarled. "I know I'm the Dragonborn. _Dovahkiin_ this, _Dovahkiin_ that... Fate of the world, Alduin the World-Eater, daedra and curses and war and everything else. I didn't ask for any of this, it just..." Despite himself, Taro felt hot tears burning behind his eyes, and he lashed out at the candle and dish perched on the table near the bed, sending it soaring across the room and clattering against the wall. It was all he could manage in his weakened state. "When I saw that arrow, I didn't care about the _world_ , or _Alduin_ , or any of this destiny shit. All I wanted was to save you. That's what _I_ wanted... _Me_ \- not the Dragonborn!"

Unable to stand aloof while Taro was in such distress, Farkas approached him, but when he extended a hand to touch Taro's face it was smacked away. Farkas grabbed Taro's wrist tightly and sat at the edge of the bed, pulling the Khajiit forcefully into an embrace. Taro stubbornly resisted for a moment but soon relented, choking back a sob and wrapping his arms carefully around Farkas. The two men sat there for what seemed like forever, getting lost in each others scent, warmth and comfort.

"Thank you," Farkas breathed into Taro's fur, and Taro responded by nuzzling Farkas's ear.

When the two of them finally broke apart, Farkas rested his forehead against the Khajiit's and sighed. "You gotta promise me something," Farkas said softly, and Taro closed his eyes, knowing already what the promise was and not very certain that he could ever keep such a promise.

"If my death means that you live, you gotta let me die. No exceptions... If I'm gonna die, you just let me go and keep living. Do you swear?" he said, and Taro was momentarily amazed at his mate's fearlessness and devotion.

Taro knew arguing was pointless. The world was at stake, and no matter how he felt, he knew that he couldn't let his emotions get in the way again. Before he arrived in Skyrim, there was no one that he would have considered dying for, no one he would have lifted a finger to save. But now he felt like he had so many people he needed to protect, so many people that he would rather die for then continue to live on without.

For now, he knew he had to play the role of the Dragonborn. After his role was fulfilled, however, his promise would be moot.

"I swear on the corpse of Alduin," Taro truthfully answered him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taro was never super thrilled to be the Dragonborn. As soon as he realized there was virtually no monetary value that came with the position, it's basically just been a huge bother tbh


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taro and Farkas tie the knot.

_Breathe in, breathe out.  
_

Taro was more nervous than he thought he would be. It was a small affair; Lydia and Matyrste were already there of course, sitting in the front row. Vilkas was in attendance, chatting with Lydia. Mildred certainly would have been present if the appearance of a Flame Thrall in the Temple of Mara wasn't sure to start a riot.

Taro stood quietly in the darkness at the back of the temple, waiting for Farkas. The Khajiit shifted uncomfortably. He was wearing fine clothes for the occasion, complete with a moonstone circlet coiled snugly around his head, it's gem centered at his forehead. His tail swayed impatiently, hoping that Farkas would arrive soon so that they could get on with things. It wasn't as if he wanted it to be over, but he felt tremendously nervous without his mate nearby.

He needed the comfort of Farkas's presence.

Two more people arrived and Lydia immediately ushered them into an unoccupied pew. Matyrste happily greeted them and got them to talking; Taro stayed hidden in the shadows near the back door, not particularly interested in pleasantries.

The door nearest him finally opened and Farkas stepped through, still fiddling with his coat. Taro smiled both in relief and fondness. Farkas looked so helpless trying to right his posh jacket; he looked as though he had never worn something nice in his life. Come to think of it, he probably hadn't.

"Here," Taro offered, making himself known to the man and grabbing the hem of Farkas's jacket, helping him to straighten it.

Farkas smiled. "Thanks," he said gruffly. "It was hell getting this thing on."

"I know. But you put it on anyway." Taro smirked, unbuttoning a couple of buttons on Farkas's shirt and fixing a couple of other things.

Farkas looked terribly handsome. Taro had only ever seen him wearing dirty armor or peasant clothes, but he cleaned up well. His face was clean and shaven, showcasing the prominent curve of his jaw. His hair was washed and slicked back some, showing off more of his chiseled features. Taro didn't want to mention it aloud, but it made him look even more like his brother.

Snaked around Farkas's head was an identical circlet to Taro's; a moonstone, a reflection of their shared blood.

"Gotta look good at my own wedding," Farkas pointed out, and Taro felt himself flush, his heart beating wildly.

" _Wedding_... Oy, we're really doing this, aren't we?" Taro asked incredulously, his eyes meeting Farkas's.

The Nord grinned slyly at the Khajiit. "Getting cold feet?"

"Not on your life," Taro responded playfully, giving Farkas's jacket one last tug before letting his hands fall to his sides. "You're stuck with me."

All attention was brought to the head of the temple and words were hushed as Maramal entered through a doorway to the right of the shrine of Mara. The priest of Mara walked behind the shrine, raising his arms in greeting to the small group that had gathered for the ceremony.

"Welcome, children of Mara. If the grooms-to-be would approach the shrine, we can begin." he said. Taro and Farkas exchanged a look, and Farkas laughed through his nose.

"Who woulda thought _I'd_ be getting married?" he whispered amusingly, and Taro shoved him gently in the shoulder.

"Not me," Taro joked.

The two of them walked up the center aisle. Taro glanced at Matyrste as they went and she excitedly waved at him from her lap. He responded with a smile as the both of them stopped in front of Maramal and the shrine. Maramal greeted them both with a nod of the head, and began the ceremony.

Taro wasn't listening to much of what the priest was saying- something about Mara and how great she is, Taro was sure. He was looking at Farkas, who was looking back at him, and he realized in that moment that it was really happening.

When he had brought up the subject a fortnight ago, he had expected Farkas to laugh it off, or accuse him of drinking too much ale. He hadn't.

The two of them both knew that life was a fragile thing, and considering the current state of Skyrim, it was very possible that life could end at any moment for the both of them. Dragons littered the skies, countless people were charged with spilling the Dragonborn's blood and a crippling civil war ravaged the land. Ultimately, the odds were not in Taro's favor. There was no more time for hiding or being unsure.

"-Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?" Taro snapped back to reality as he heard the words spoken by Maramal. Taro picked up one of the two Bonds of Matrimony and grabbed Farkas's hand, slipping the ring on his finger.

"I do. Now and forever." Taro said softly, eyes locked with Farkas's. The Nord smiled.

"And do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?" the priest repeated to Farkas.

The Companion nodded his head. "I do. Now and forever," he confirmed, placing an identical ring on Taro's finger.

"Under the authority of Mara, the Divine of Love, I declare this couple to be wed." the priest announced happily, and Matyrste jumped out of her seat with a squeal of joy. It seemed almost like everything was moving in slow motion as the few people who had attended came over to congratulate the new couple and ask questions about their new life together. Matyrste pushed her way through and pulled both Taro and Farkas into a hug.

"You're going to live with us now, right? In Solitude?" Matyrste asked Farkas excitedly, and Taro laughed, tousling the girl's hair.

"That's sort of the point, kid," he said. He glanced up at Farkas with a smile. "Though, I was thinking of buying some land and maybe building our own homestead. Away from the cities."

Farkas stared at Taro, processing his proposition. "That..." he trailed off, unsure of how to properly respond. "That sounds wonderful," he finished with a surprised laugh. Matyrste jumped up and down in place, her face lit up in glee.

"It does! That sounds wonderful! Somewhere near a river, with wildlife everywhere!" she said, and Lydia crossed her arms behind them, smiling at the happy group of people rejoicing in the only thing they could look forward to in a world spinning out of control.

She knew that Taro had discovered the location of the Elder Scroll, and that he intended to go there immediately to collect it. There would be no stopping him, nor would she try. If he allowed her and his new husband to accompany him, she would gladly defend him until she could no longer hold her blade.

What was to become of the Dragonborn after all of this was a mystery. More than that, she worried for Matyrste. The strange powers the girl had been exhibiting were worsening, and the cryptic warning from the Psijic Order about the little girl had not helped to soothe her nerves, nor Taro's.

Something horrible was on the horizon. Lydia could feel it. But right now, there was only this happy moment, and so Lydia did her best to push those thoughts from her mind.

Instead, she imagined a homestead in a quiet place, next to a river, surrounded by wildlife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done! Hope you enjoyed. I might write more some other time about their married life together after the Alduin stuff, but probably not any time soon. All you really need to know is that Matyrste turns out to be an entity that traveled forward in time with Alduin to aid the Dragonborn in slaying him, and once her true form is remembered, she has to leave them. Later on, Taro and Farkas will find a homeless young Breton boy named Pavoro, who they'll adopt and take on adventures with them.


End file.
